Michel Ardan and Nicholl in the Projectile — Autour de la Lune, Italian Edition

This wood engraving illustrates a scene from Jules Verne's Autour de la Lune (Around the Moon), the sequel to De la Terre à la Lune, not the launch itself. The image depicts the projectile shell already in flight through space, having survived the initial firing; debris and wreckage from the launch site trail below as the moon glows in the background. The accompanying text shows Michel Ardan calmly declaring they are safe and proposing breakfast, while Nicholl reflects on the projectile's initial velocity — a moment of relief following the terrifying cannon-fire departure.